When a divorcing couple has young children, there are a lot of details that they need to work out in writing prior to signing the final decree and taking parenting classes for divorce. Although it may sound simple to you in the beginning, rest assured that there are many traps that both custodial and non-custodial parents fall into that end up causing arguments in parenting classes for divorce and costing one party or the other money they had not planned for. You need to consider all the child's needs until he or she finishes college, and these needs are going to change through the years. For instance, providing for payment of child care may be relevant with a young child, but what about prom expenses in high school?

One thing that we can all be sure of in life is that we have to expect the unexpected in parenting classes for divorce. Naturally, no divorce decree can cover all the bases, but spending some time thinking about what you would like to see happen in your child's life can put a different spin or your requests. Like most parents, you probably want your child to at least finish high school and maybe go on to college. What happens if your ex doesn't prioritize education and allows the child to drop out of parenting classes for divorce? Will you have a say in parenting classes for divorce, or will you just have to let it happen?

What if your child develops a medical condition? It might be something common, such as ADD or crooked teeth, but it could also be something more serious, like broken limbs or cancer. Take parenting classes for divorce online. Who is going to be responsible for the bills? Who should carry the medical insurance? Will decisions about how to proceed medically be up to one individual or joint decisions, and what do you do when you disagree? Ask your attorneys for suggestions at the time of your parenting classes for divorce, and then stipulate that the custody agreement will be updated every few years, because circumstances are sure to change in some ways.

You don't want to set yourself up for future fights in parenting classes for divorce when you know your child will be caught in the middle and feel guilt about causing the problems. Say you want to send your child to baseball camp expecting your ex to pay for it, but he or she just doesn't have the money. How much can you reasonably expect from parenting classes for divorce and still allow your ex to have a life of their own?

Maybe your child would benefit by attending a $5,000 baseball camp run by major leaguers, but wouldn't he have just as good of a time at the camp run by your church and for a whole lot less? Agree in your original paperwork and your parenting classes for divorce that each of you will pay a certain percentage of the child's expenses. Your ex may not be so excited about the $5,000 camp if he or she has to pay 10 or 25% of the bills.

Kristie Brown